Feeler mechanism for looms



sept. 2, 1924. 1,507,129

` l E. S. SITIMPSON` FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS TTOf? EY I sept. 2 1924. 1,507,129

' ...E. s. STIMPsoN FEEDER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed uw. 4, 192:5 2 suena-shes. 2

222/ S SW @fm ATTO'R'NEY l Patented' Sept. 2, 1924;

UNITED STATES EDWARD s. smmrson, or Hornnann, Massacnrrsn'rrs, Assioivon To Daarna con- PATENT OFFICE.

PORATION, OF `IBOPIEDAII'E, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF um.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application illed December 4, 1928. Serial No. 678,415.

To all whom z'tmag/ comer/n.:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. STIMP- V soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the. county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, 'have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on l0 the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, and more particularly to feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type.

v In feeler mechanisms of the intermittent l5. type, the feeler is heldin its inoperative or frontward position for periods of time and at intervals is permitted t0 return to its- Arearward or feeling position to detect the A condition of filling in the shuttle and, on substantial exhaustion thereof, to edect replenishment. Where the filling is of tender character, such as fine yarn or silk, the importance of holding the feeler from recurrent contact with the. lling on successive.

detecting beats becomes apparent.

In some characters of yarn, silk, for instance, the recurring contact of the feeler with the filling is often observable inthe linished product because the yarn becomes more or less flattened at the' feeler contacting point.

One of the objects of the resent invention is to provide a feeler mec anism off the intermittent type wherein the feeler may not only be held in its frontward or inactive position for periods of time but may be actually moved frontward suiciently to prevent any contact of the end of the feeler with the llingon subsequent detecting beats and until the feeler is released Vtoperform its feeling function.

. Another important object ofthe inveni tion is to provide a feeler'mechanism'of the type indicated which shall be simple in eoneeler to a frontward v ino rative osition whenl the feeler is moved detecting'beat by a workingsupply 'of lillin`g,`so -thatvduring the inoperative .period of the feeler it will not engage the iilhng. I

The invention will best be -as embo struction' -and eicient in retracting' the ontwar y on a ,from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good, ractical form thereof, and will then be de nitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing thefeeler mechanism embodying the present invention, and sufficient of the loom .cooperating parts to .enable'the invention to be properly understood; f y

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that ofl Fi 1, but showing the feeler in itsfrontwar tracted position;

Fig. 1'a is .an enlarged detail more particularly showing the relative inclination of Fig. 4 is a side perspective view ofthe feeler mechanism indicated in Fig. 3.

It has not been deemed necessary to illusl trate herein the replenishing mechanism and the details of the transmitting means from TB- l the. feeler to thevreplenishing mechanism to eect re lenishment, because such means are now well understood in the attend the details thereof form no essential' part of the present invention. p

In the articular feeler mechanism shown ing the present invention, the

feeler is o? 1,309,226, July 8, l1919, Vin which the feeler calls for a chan of filling when it is moved in a direction ongitudinally of the shuttle Also, it has not been deemed nryherein to illustrate thelay, the shuttle box and the parte associated therewith, because the inclined type generally smivlar to that of the Stimpson Patent No.

are or may be as usual, but

the present drawings show the fillin carrier or bobbin in the osition it wou d occupy with relation to t e feeler o n a detecting beat. Neither has it been deemed necessary to show and describe the details of the means for supporting the feeler upon the shipper stand or other support,because these features are not a necessary part of the present invention.

The feeler stand 1 is mounted on a suitable support, such, for instance, as the shipper stand, or abracket extendin therefrom, as usual, and is secured thereto y means of a bolt 2 which passes through the slot 3 in a flange of the feeler stand, the construction being-such kthat the feeler may be adjusted in proper co-acting relation With the filling carrier or bobbin 1n the shuttle.

At the rear portion of the eeler stand 1 is mounted a slide 4 capable of lateral movement, and connected with the slide 4 is the transmitter 5 for communicating movement of the slide to the mechanism which controls the replenishing operation. The slide 4 is provided with a slot 6 through which the feeler 7 asses, the slot 6 being somewhat wider vt an the feeler which passes through it, so that the feeler may partake of a small lateral movement within the dimensions of the slot 6 without moving the slide 4.

The feeler 7 extends frontwardly, and a stem 8 thereon passes through the front bearing or swivel block 9 and between the bearing or block 9 and mounted on the feeler stem is a spring 10 the rear end portion of which bears against a projection of the bridge 11 secured to the feeler, so that the normal tendency of the spring 10 is to impel the feeler rearwardly into its feeling position. The parts so far described are shown as of the same construction and mode of operation as the similar parts in the patent to Stimpson, hereinbefore mentioned, and if desired, the filling engaging end pors tion of the feeler may be provided with filling engaging teeth.

In accordance with the present invention the feeler is to be held in an inoperative position for periods of time and'when in position the filling engaging'end of the feeler is to be in non-contactingv relation with ,the filling on detecting beats until the feeler is `periodically released, whereupon the feeler will move to operative position and if it meets a working supply of filling will be again movedto inoperative position out of contacting relation with the filling. Should the filling be substantially exhausted or approached close to substantial exhaustion when the feeler meets the filling on a detecting'beat, it will not be moved frontwardly suiciently far to engage the coacting mechanism for holding it in inoperative position, and thereafter will conl tinue to operate or function until detection of substantial exhaustion, whereupon the 'eeler will call for a change of filling.

In the present invention, the feeler is provided with a projection which is engaged by a detent when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, and the engaging sur- Jfaces of the projection and detent are inclined relatively to each other in a direction transversely of the loom, so that as the lay goes back, the feeler will be given a lateral or side movement sufficiently far that thereafter the filling engaging end of the feeler will not meet the filling on a detecting beat. In conection with this characteristic feature ofthe invention, a stop is provided to limit such side or lateral movement of the feeler to an extent insufficient to effect replenishment of illin As shown 1n the present instance of the invention, the feeler is provided with aprojection 12 which. has one or more teeth 13 the rear edges of which, at at 14, are arranged to enga e a detent 15, the engaging surface 16 of W ich is inclined relatively to the engaging surfaces 14 of the feeler teeth in a direction transversely of the loom, so

that the pressure of the feeler spring 10, as the lay goes back, will cause the eeler to partake of a lateral movementv from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, wherein the feeler engaging end 17 will be in an inoperative position and not engage the filling on subsequent detecting beats. y In the present instance of the invention, the projection 12 which is carried by the feeler is conveniently formed as part of the bridge 11, although it may be otherwise constructed, and two teeth 13` are shown on the projection, but obviously, any number of teeth desiredmay be employed. v

The detent 15 is formed as a lever, in the present instance, and pivotally mounted at.

18 on a bracket 19 which may be adjustably secured by a bolt 2O to the feeler stand.

The detent 15 is normally under the infiuence of a spring 2l interposed between its front end portion 22 and a seat 23 on the bracket 19, the construction being such that the end 22 of the detent will be normally raised under the lyielding action of the spring 21 to cause the inclined detent surface 16 to engage one of the teeth of the projection 12 of the feeler when the latter 1s moved trontwardly on a detecting beat by a working supply of filling in the shuttle.

The bracket 19 maybe adjusted .towards and from the front of the loom by means of athumb screw 24. In the present instance, the thumb screw 24 is rotatably mounted in an opening 24 formed in the bracket 19 and is threaded into the feeler stand, as indiwoman cated in Fig. 3. By loosening tlie bolt 20 the bracket 19 may be adjusted by the thumb screw 24 to position the detent for correct perative relation with the teeth of the feeler.

When a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle, as indicated in Fig. 1, the filling 26 on the filling carrier or bobbin 27 will meet the end ofthe feeler'and move it` frontwardly until the front portion of the teeth 13 on the feeler passes under the teeth or holding portion v16 of the detent, and the two inclined surfaces 14 and 16 will take position as indicated in Fig. 1 and Fig.

1*. When the lay retreats and pressure is relieved from the end of the feeler, the spring 10 which acts normally to impel the feeler rearwardly will cause the inclined surfaces 14 and 16 on the feeler projection and detent to effect movement of the feeler laterally about the front bearing or swivel block 9 as a center and the parts will take position as indicated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 vwith the filling engaging end portion of the feeler frontwardly displaced. or placedy in an ino erative position, so that on subsequent etecting beats the end of the feeler will not contact with the filling until, as will presently appear, the feeler is again released by the detent to perform its feeling function. v

The amount of lateral movement thus imparted to the feeler 7 by the cooperating inclined surfaces -14 and 16 on the feeler and detent respectively is sufficient to move the feellng end of the feeler frontwardly into its non-contacting relation with the filling,

as indicated in Fig. 2, and in order to limit such lateral movement of the feeler to an amount insuicient to call for replenishment of filling a stop is provided. y

In the present instance, the detent 15 has projecting frontwardly from the. inclined surface 16 a shoulder or flange 28 against which the side of the projection 12 of the feeler will contact when the feeler partakes of its lateral movement under the Influence of the two relatively inclined surfaces 14' and 16, as already described. Obviously. the stop for 'limiting lateral movement of the feeler may be variously devised, but a simple form of stop is conveniently'formed on the detent 15 itself, although in some asspects of the invention the stop may be otherwise rovided. l

en the feeler is mOKed laterally by the co-'acting surfaces 14 and 16 on the feeler and detent, and is arrested by the stop, such lateral movement of the feeler takes place within the slot 6 of the slide 4 and does not impart to the slide movement to effect replenishment of lling.

As hereinbefore stated, the feeler is held in its inoperatitfgeosition for periods of time and 1s rele from holding'engage- Amay be employed for tripping the detent from holding engagement with the feeler, v

and as shown in the present instance, such means comprises a wire 29 which is encased in flexible covering 30, the end of the wire 29 projecting upwardly through a lug 31 convenlently formed in the bracket 19 and engaging the under surface of an overlying projection 32 formed on thedetent. If desired, the encased wire 29 may be carried through to the take-up mechanism or other convenient movingy part of the loom for endwise movement imparted to the wire Within its casing vfrom time to time to thereby raise the rear end of the detentand free the feeler for movement to operative position. It has not been deemed necessary to describe the means for imparting endwise movement to -the wire 29, because the details of such construction a-re not part of the present invention.

If it be assumed that the feeler is in its rearward feeling position and a working supply of filling is in the adjacent shuttle box on a detecting beat, the feeler will be enga ed by the filling ,and be moved frontwar y thereby to an extent suiicient to cause one of the teeth 13 on the projection 12 to ass under the detent, which may be lifted by the inclined frontward surface of the teeth 13, whereupon the rear end of the detent 15 will be lowered into its operative position again by the s ring 21, so that the inclined surfaces 14 an 16 on the feeler and 4detent respectively will be engaged, as indicated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 1. As the lay starts back and the inclined surfaces 14 and 16 are impelled towards each other, their relative inclination will cause the feeler to move laterally from the osition of Fig. 1 and Fig. 1a to that of 1g. 2 and Fig. 2, whereupon the rear end portion ofthe feeler will be moved to an inoperative position and the stop 28 will limit the lateral movement.

The feeler will thus be held in its inoperative position for a" riod of time or for a number of picks, which may vary, whereupon the wire 29 from' its actuating mechanism will 'cause the rearl end of the detent 15 to be raised, thereby freeing the feeler to its rearward movement under the iniiuence of the feeler spring again meet a working-supply of filling in the shuttle on the following detecting beat, it will a` ain be moved frontwardly and be engaged y'the detent and again moved to 10. Should the feeler its inoperative position.V Should however,

iii

and locked bythe detent but will remain in o erative osition and call for a change of lling wien that in the shuttle has reached a condition of substantial exhaustion.

What is claimed is:

l. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a spring normally impelling the feeler towards its rearward position, a part connected to the feeler and having a detent engaging tooth, a detent for engagingsaid tooth, the en aging surfaces of said tooth and detent eing relatively inclined in a direction transversel of the loom and constructed and arranged to cause the eeler to be moved laterally under the influence of said spring when the detent engaging tooth and detent are engaged as the lay goes back after a detecting beat.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler, a spring normally 1mpell1ng the eeler towards its rearward position, a part carried by the feeler and having a detent engaging member, a detent for engaging said member, the engaging surfaces of said member and detent being relatively inclined in a direction transversely of the loom and constructed and arranged to cause the feeler to be moved laterally under the influence of said spring when the detent engaging member and detent are engaged as the lay goes back after a detectmg beat, and a stop for limiting such lateral movement of the feeler -to an amount insuiiicient to eiect replenishment of filling.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of.- a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a detent for holding the feeler in frontward or non-feelin position, and interenga 'n teeth carriedy the feeler and detent or oldng the feeler in nonfeeling osition and having their engaging sur aces relatively inclined in a dlrection transversely of the loom to eect lateral movement of the feeler under the infiuence of the feeler spring when said surfaces are engaged as the lay goes bach.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combinationof a feeler, a spring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feeling position, a detent for holding the eeler in frontward or non-feeling position, interengaging teeth carried by the eeler and detent and having their engaging surfaces relatively inclined in a direction.

' transversely of the loom to effect lateral movement .of the feeler under the iniuence of the feeler spring when said surfaces' are enga as the lay goes back, anda stop for limitlng such lateral movement of the feeler to anamount insuiiicient to effect replenishment of filling.

ll5. In an intermittent eeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedy to detect sutial exhaustion of the filling on a detecting beat, a detent for holding the feelcr in retracted front position, a projec.

the feeler in retracted front position, a pro-4 j ection connected to the feeler for engaging the detent, said pro'ection and detent having their engaging sur aces constructed and arranged to cause the feeler to be moved laterally into an inoperative position when the lay goes back and the projection and detent are engaged, and a stop for limiting such lateral movement of the feeler to an amount insuicient to effect replenishment of filling. A 7. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of al feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling on a detecting beat, a detent havin a feelcr holding tooth for holding the fee er in retracted vfront position, a toothed projection connected to the feeler for engaging the holding tooth of the detent, said teeth having their engaging surfaces constructed and arranged to cause the feeler to be moved laterally inte an inoperative position when the lay goes back andv the teeth are e for periodically releasing t e feeler :from the detent that it may perform its feeling function.

8. In a -feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted to enter the shuttle ona detecting beat in a direction in clined to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, a spring for normally impelling the feeler rearwardly, a detent for holding the feeler in rontward retracted position, a projection carried by the feeler for engaging the detent when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working suppl of filling, the interengaging surfaces of t e projection and detent being relatively inclined to eect lateral movement of the feeler to an inoperative poaged, and means limiting the shuttle on a. detectin beat in a direction inclined to the longitu inalaxis of the shuttle, a spring for normally impelling the eeler rearwardly, a detent for holding the feeler in frontward retracted position, a projection carried by the feeler for en aging the detent when lthe feeler is moved rontwardly by a working sup ly of filling, the interengagmg surfaces oft e projection and detent being relatively inclined to effect lateral movement of the feeler to an inoperative position that it may not injuriously contact with the filling on subseqluent detecting beats, a stop for ateral movement of the feeler, and means for automatically. releasing the feeler from'the detent from time to time to detect the condition of the filling and effect replenishment when the filling is substantially exhausted. y

l0. A feeler mechanism for looms, comrising, in combination a feeler, a detent for liolding the feeler in frontward position, a projection carried by the feeler for engaging the detent when the feeler is moved front- Wardly by a working supply of filling, the projection and detent having their engaging portions relatively inclined to move the feeler laterally to an inoperative position, and a stop carried bythe detent to limit such lateral movement of the feeler.

In testimony whereof, I have signed name to this specification.

EDWARDS. STIMPsoN. 

